NYC Grocery Run with Rainforest Distribution - November 2026

Grocery Run is a national event series connecting relevant retailers to emerging brands. Join us to meet buyers, sample, and network! Congratulations: you've been accepted to sample at the Grocery Run with Rainforest Distribution this Fall! This will be a tremendous opportunity for networking with your favorite CPG community and making deals happen! Please purchase a ticket to this event for each person who will be attending this event. All attendees need a ticket. We’ll have food and refreshments available. Come meet these VIPs: • Amaury Schoon – VP of Sales @ Rainforest Distribution • Jimmy Sebbah - Northeast Regional Sales Manager @ Rainforest Distribution • John Lawson – Senior Local Forager (Northeast) @ Whole Foods Market • Rachel Krupa - Founder @ The Goods Mart • Javier Intriago - Category Manager @ America's Food Basket • Lauren Katz - Owner @ Naturally Good Foods and Cafe • Jullian Goncalves - Category Manager, Dairy @ FreshDirect • Olivia Tarantino - Senior Commerce Editor, Bon Appétit & Epicurious @ Condé Nast • Glenn Cunningham - Senior Director of Center Store @ Wakefern - Village Supermarkets, Fairway, Gourmet Garage, ShopRite • Fedele Stella - Center Store Merchant @ Wakefern - Village Supermarkets, Fairway, Gourmet Garage • Tara Campbell - Vice President @ Imaginary Ventures • Luba Safran - VC Lead @ Mondelēz International • Elizabeth Yang - Senior Associate @ Vanterra Ventures • Tanya Seber - Director of Center Store @ Wakefern • Bozhena Kulchyckyj - Senior Associate @ Alumni Ventures • Ryan Perry - Investor @ Great Circle Ventures • Roger Brady - Vice President of Supply Chain & Merchandising @ Farm to People • Marc Joaquin - Merchandise Manager @ Wakefern - Village Supermarkets, Fairway, Gourmet Garage, ShopRite • Brandon Alster - Founder @ Sling Ventures • Molly Barrett - Merchandising Intern @ FreshDirect • Katie Andrew - Director of Merchandising, Non-Perishables @ FreshDirect • Elsemieke Vriend - Category Manager, Deli & Cheese @ FreshDirect • Amber van den Deijssel - Category Manager, Grocery, Snacks @ FreshDirect • Fatoumata Barry - Associate Category Manager- Grocery/Snacks @ FreshDirect • Joe LaRose - Director of Business Development @ Dora's Naturals • Grace Verrier - Associate @ Manna Tree Partners • Nina Roberts - Writer & Editor @ Various Publications (The Guardian US, Fortune, Marketplace, etc.) • Charlotte Jenkins - Senior Associate @ Alumni Ventures • Abby Giannuzzi - M&A Manager @ PepsiCo • Vienna Buscher - Investment Associate @ Cult Capital • Abby Wizel - Category Manager, Freezer @ FreshDirect • Nicole Atamian - Vice President @ Scoop Ventures • Gregory Atamian - Managing Director @ Scoop Ventures • Maurice Ng - Managing Director @ Tings Capital • Uday Ahuja - CIO @ Magnolia Holdings • Gary Benerofe - General Partner @ Mu Ventures • Kaylee Tao - Investor @ Stripes • Lisa Li - Senior Investment Associate @ Rocana Venture Partners • Josh Mandell - Director of Marketing, Sales, Analytics @ Key Foods Mandell & Holiday Farms Gemstone • Jimmy Shen - Vice President @ Cutting Horse • Allie Harris - Senior Associate @ Melitas Ventures • Hayden Kim - Associate @ Sidekick Partners • Dylan Schuler - Investor @ Sidekick Partners • Hayden Williams - Partner @ BrandProject • Kevin McCarthy - Vice President @ Patricof Co • Jane Arbogast - Category Manager, Alcohol @ FreshDirect • Chelsea Collier - Digital Editor @ Food Network and HGTV • Alejandra Mendoza - Senior Vice President @ TSG Consumer Partners • Chris Garcia - Category Manager @ America's Food Basket • Rocco Coppola - Merchandiser, Dairy/Frozen @ Wakefern • Andrew Goldman - AI & Analytics Supervisor @ Wakefern • Yash Walawalkar - Analyst @ Imaginary Ventures • Daniel Suriel - COO @ America's Food Basket • Anthony Abreu - Category Manager, Grocery @ America's Food Basket More to be added, but confirmed brands include: • Aayur Organic are Brooklyn based Ayurveda-inspired functional beverages crafted using Indian generational recipes for balanced gut. • Big Dog Sauce Company creates premium, all-natural sauces and seasonings that deliver bold flavor without artificial fillers, preservatives, gluten, or high fructose corn syrup. • BON Better Snacks reimagines the world's best flavors as whole-ingredient, high-protein snacks, proudly made in the USA. • Brook37 exists to save humanity from mediocre tea. • Confetti Snacks is a mission-led company that crafts delicious, award-winning, crunchy snacks from ugly produce, that are nutrient & fiber-dense and packed with bold, globally inspired flavor. • Cotto is a whipped cottage cheese dip brand offering high-protein, clean-label dips in three classic flavors: French Onion, Buffalo, and Garden Ranch. • Croots are croutons designed for snacking, made with bold flavors, artisan sourdough and 100% olive oil. • Croutinis is transforming the least nutritious part of your salad into the most powerful bite, offfering a high-protein, low-carb, and gluten-free crouton that you can feel good about. • Curd is a high-protein pudding made from cottage cheese, no isolates, no artificial sweeteners, no gums, just real food with real macros. • Droosh provides high quality Indian-inspired spice blends and hot sauces: The Icon, Everyday, Tikka Masala and Chaat Party, and Jalapeno Green Chutney and Sweet & Sour Mango Chutney, that instantly adds flavor to any dish. • drybox crafts freeze-dried fruit snacks made from 100% real fruit, delivering clean, delicious nutrition with no added sugar, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. • Esspritz makes espresso tonic in a can. • Evie's Snacks makes a downright delectable snack with 1/3 the sugar and all the crunch - using Texas pecans grown on our family farms. • Feelz is a women-owned brand crafting plant-based functional products designed to support cognitive function and mood through modern, needs-based wellness solutions and social connections; powered by nootropics, adaptogens, and botanicals. • Gigantic makes Candy Deluxe—a candy bar that actually grew up. • Elephant Green Chili Chutney (Sofi Award Finalist for top 3 condiment 2026) was born from a mother-daughter family recipe and inspired by generations of vibrant home cooking. It transforms fresh green chilies, herbs, and bright spices into a bold, versatile chutney that has grown from a small kitchen passion project to shelves in over 100 stores nationwide in just 20 months. • HEYDOH makes single-origin soy sauce with whole black soybeans.